Unfriendly Skies
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: AU Severide manages to jump from the crudely attached, busted up helicopter just in time to watch it slowly roll over the edge and dangle dangerously in mid-air. But a cry catches in his throat as he realizes that someone's still inside. Casey! Based off a scene from eppy 3.08 'Chopper' Casey!hurt / Severide!rescue/comfort


**Title: Unfriendly Skies**

**Summary: AU **Severide manages to jump from the crudely attached, busted up helicopter just in time to watch it slowly roll over the edge and dangle dangerously in mid-air. But a cry catches in his throat as he realizes that someone's still inside. Casey! Based off a scene from eppy 3.08 'Chopper'

**Disclaimer: **Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for my boys #teamsevasey and of course putting them into danger.

**A/N:** I know I usually update Bonded by Fire on the weekend but a special request came in and Alice did her best to accommodate. So yes this is AU b/c we twisted the events on the eppy just a weee bit and hope you all don't mind. Please enjoy!

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><p><em>"Severide, status."<em>

_"Chief we have the chopper secured…well roughly but we need something more to stabilize it up here. What's the fire situation?"_

_"It's put out, Casey and Mouch are on their way up."_

Severide nods to Capp as he hurries toward the front of the busted glass window. "Sir! I want you to remain very still!" He calls out loudly to the visibly agitated pilot. "We're going to pry this open!"

"Please hurry!" The frantic woman in the back calls out desperately.

"Hurry…" Severide mutters as he looks over at Newhouse and then Tony who were still trying to secure the cables from the large radiator to some pipes that went all the way down to the ground floor. At least it would keep the damn thing stable enough for him and Capp to pry the door open and get the occupants out.

"Tony, check the back! Can we get in?"

"Not without cutting into it and that will cause that thing to move more than we want! We gotta wait until it's fully stabilized before we start cutting!"

"Great."

"Severide!" Casey calls out as he and Mouch rush toward them. "Hermann, Cruz and Otis are trying to free a woman trapped by the blades. What do you need?"

"We gotta get this thing secure and get those people out."

"Mouch, help secure the rig!"

"The pilot and the female passenger are hurt most. The guy on the other side of her…damn I think he's already gone but not sure," Severide huffs as he and Casey head back to the front of the busted plane. "But this thing isn't stabilized as well as it should be. We gotta be careful but move fast. Crowbars only. We can't risk any further vibrations from the cutters. And go carefully."

"Fast and careful, right," Casey gently sighs as they reach the side of the busted chopper. "Ma'am…I'm going to try to…"

"Sir I need you to remain…"

Both of them start talking to their intended trapped passengers at the same time, both knowing that time is of the essence and lives were on the line. Severide uses his crowbar to carefully pry open the front door and get the trapped pilot out. Casey looks at the back side door and knows that they need to work together to get Severide's door open first and then work on the other side door.

"We can only do it one at a time!" Casey grunts as he uses his crowbar to pry the bottom the same time that Severide uses his to pry the side. The large aerial vehicle starts to groan and a panicked call from Newhouse and Mouch – literally at the same time, forces them to stop and look at each other with worried frowns.

"Just secure the damn thing!" Severide barks as he nods to Casey to continue. "If this thing goes over…" his voice dies out as it finally starts to show some progress in movement. "I think…okay let's both pull on this part here," Severide instructs as Casey moves in closer, the two of them putting the ends of their large tools into the same small opening and then pulling back with all their strength.

It moves.

"Got it!" Severide exclaims as they manage to pry the crumpled door open wide enough for Mills to come and continue pulling it open, allowing him and Casey to work on extricating the injured pilot.

"Please…hurry," the woman in the back cries out in pain.

"We'll be right there ma'am," Casey assures her as he pulls a small knife and starts to cut the shoulder belt keeping the pilot trapped; Severide removing some crumpled metal that was keeping his leg pinned.

"Okay, I think we can move him out. Capp!" Severide yells for his fellow Squad 3 team member to help pull the driver out and take him to the waiting medics. "Take him to Mills. His right leg is cut."

"Copy that!"

"Okay ma'am we're coming for you next," Casey tells her as he switches places with Severide and steps up onto the ledge where the pilot's legs had just been.

"Careful!" Severide warns Casey as they both hear the busted up chopper starting to creak and groan under his weight.

"Let's get this other door open first."

"Please hurry…I think he's…just hurry!" The woman cries out in a panic.

"On two," Casey tells Severide as Severide yells back for them to keep the chopper steady. The crumpled door takes a bit more effort and unbeknownst to them both, the opposite side of the air vehicle is now slipping further and further toward the open sky; the ledge of the building smooth and unstable.

"It's open!"

"Alright ma'am we need…oh damn look at her side."

"Is it bad?" She asks in haste.

"Please just remain still," Casey instructs as Severide works at getting the other mangled seat off her feet to pull her free. "Ma'am stay with me okay. This is going to hurt," he tells her in truth as he presses down on her side to help stem the flow of blood. She cries out in pain but is distracted by her own discomfort, allowing Severide to pry the seat free and thereby allow her to be finally removed.

With Mills and Brett already on the ground with the pilot, they carefully pull her loose and hand her to the other set of waiting medics. Leaving the woman in Severide's grasp he turns and hurries back toward the chopper to check on the third man.

"Sir? Sir!" Casey calls out as Severide tries to get the distraught woman off him and go help Casey.

"Casey! Hold on! You sure he's alive?"

"I don't know but…I think he's alive!" Casey calls back as he steps onto the platform of the helicopter. The busted up machine starts to rebel by slightly groaning at first.

"Casey! It's not stable!" Severide groans. "Here take her already!" Severide shouts to the medic before he turns to head for Casey.

"Sir…if you can make a sound or move…something," Casey asks lightly as he dares to take a chance and step into the helicopter's belly. He swiftly drops to his knees when he feels it shifting beneath his weight.

"Ah damn!" Severide curses as he races toward Casey, who was now down on all fours and had his back to him.

"Sir…" Casey tries again as he reaches out, his body nearing the center and would soon pass into the unstable realm that would force the busted chopper to careen precariously onto its left side. Casey reaches his hand out, hoping the man will grunt or blink or do something to show that he's not putting his life in danger for nothing.

"Casey!" Severide huffs as he reaches him and stands on the ledge of the chopper to give it some more weight on the building's side. "Are you nuts?"

"Doing what you taught me," Casey tosses back with a cheeky reply as he slowly shuffles forward a few more inches.

"Me? What the…I think he's dead! Just leav…" is all Severide manages before Casey finally passes the point of no return and the chopper starts to shift to the left. "Casey!" Severide shouts as his body is pitched forward into the side passenger seat they had just extricated the female passenger from. "Don't….move!"

_"What's going on up there?" Boden's voice is heard over their radios._

"Chief…damn…" Severide curses as he tosses his helmet out the door and then strains his neck to see his team. "Secure this thing NOW!"

"I think he's…Sir… Sir!" Casey calls out with a shout as his fingers strain to reach out and grab the man's wrist.

"Matt…I swear to…"

"I just need to see…back out slowly and I'll get on my belly and then you get ready to pull me out by my…legs," Casey states slowly as he twists his head back and looks at Severide's concerned glance. "If he's alive…you know we can't leave him."

"If this thing moves any further…"

"We'll go slow," Casey promises as he nods and then slowly starts to get down onto his belly. "Sir…I'm coming down to…"

"And you call me…stubborn," Severide mutters in an undertone as he slowly starts to shift his own position. But their actions prove to be faulty because as soon as Severide's weight shifts to another angle, the chopper groans and shows its displeasure but sliding more to the left.

It's going over!

"Casey!" Severide exclaims in a panic as he hurriedly twists around grabs Casey's feet and jumps from the busted chopper. But horror fully engulfs him as he comes away with Casey's boots – no Casey. Then he can only watch in horror as the chopper, now weighted on the side with no stable ground beneath it starts to roll over the edge.

"MATT!" Severide shouts in sheer terror as the chopper's body rolls all the way over, Casey's frame being tossed around; the other passenger, who was actually dead, still strapped in and not moving.

"KELLY!" Casey tries to shout as his body slams into the upper bulkhead, his lips crying out in pain as a piece of the jagged flooring now rips through the fleshy part of his arm; his grey short sleeved shirt doing nothing to protect his vulnerable skin.

The side of the chopper jerks harshly, sending Casey tumbling to the front, the two mangled seats the only thing stopping him from crashing through the two windows and hurling to the cement ground below.

"NO!" Severide shouts as Boden looks up from the ground in horror.

_"Severide! Casey! What's going on up there?"_

"Casey! Matt! Talk to me!" Severide's voice stammers as he scrambles to get to his feet. "SECURE THIS DAMN THING!" Severide shouts as he races toward the edge of the building, drooping to his stomach to survey the damage. "Oh God no…no this can't be … no this can't be happening. Matt!" Severide calls out again. "Chief! We need all hands on deck up here! And we'll need the rappelling gear. Now!"

_"Who's in the chopper?"_

"Casey!"

Severide pushes himself back up onto his knees and roughly rips away his jacket, flinging it aside and then getting back onto his belly to see about getting to his friend. "Matt!" He calls out in a panic as he strains his arms, able to touch the top but not able to see past the side panels and into the belly to see if his friend was okay. "Matt…damn you better be okay," he whispers as he shuffles over to the right, hoping to see something…anything that would give him an inkling into the condition of his friend.

"Matt!"

_"Hermann is on his way up with the gear."_

"Chief…they gotta hurry…this thing…damn I don't know how much longer it'll hold up. Casey!" Severide turns back to looking for his friend and fellow 51 Lieutenant; the rest of the teams holding onto the cables; Boden sending up a relief team to help keep that thing stable long enough for Severide to rappel down and get Casey.

Meanwhile Casey finally feels the wind slowly coming back into his lungs; they gasp for a breath. It's labored and his face winces heavily as he tries to get his blurry eyes to focus. "Kel…" he starts softly, trying to take in another breath but then gasping once more as he feels something sharp sticking in his back.

_Just…remain calm…Kelly is on his way…focus…think…what happened!_ He remembers reaching for the injured passenger. His weight then shifts. He feels the chopper moving forward. His head connects oddly with the bulkhead. Something hits his back. Rips his arm. Lands on his chest…hits his head – darkness.

"Damn…" he groans as his left arm comes up and gingerly touches a spot of matted hair on his head; his fingers coming away with some sticky, crimson sludge on the tips. Blood. His blood. He looks around and finally realizes the exact terror of his predicament. The chopper which was now being supported only by one leg, was on its side, up against the building; the other passenger sandwiched below him.

"Kelly…" Casey tries to call out weakly, his lungs once again constricting as he tries to shift himself to a better position. But in doing so, the chopper rebels and also shifts its weight, forcing Casey to feel the error of his ways as his body shifts downward and something pokes into his side.

"Casey!" Severide yells in frustration just as Hermann and Otis near the top floor with the spare gear. While he's not sure it was Casey's actions inside the belly of the busted up helicopter that force it to react badly, he knows time is running out. If it was Casey and he was alive, the last thing he wants is to arrive just in time to see if slip from his grasp and his friend plummet to his death.

"Where is the damn gear!" Severide calls out as he twists around and then looks at whoever appears in his view. "Casey…" he whispers as he looks back down. "Just…hold on."

_Be…very still…_Casey's mind urges despite the pain starting to gain strength in his side. He takes a chance to lift his hand…slowly searching for his radio. "Kelly?...Kelly!"

"Matt? Matt! I can hear you…barely…you okay in there?"

"Hurts…something's…on my side…don't want to…move anymore."

"No, just stay put. We're going to rappel down to you. Just remain calm…buddy…you gotta remain still."

Casey's eyes finally come into full focus and he's able to take stock of his full terrifying situation. He could hear the frenzied voices at the top of the building all working furiously to secure the cables and then get men down to him. _Kelly will get you…he's the best…your life…is in his hands….he won't let you die…just…hold on and DON'T MOVE!_

"Okay okay…Capp! Newhouse! We're going down, the rest help keep this bird in the air…or whatever…" Severide calls out as he quickly searches for a place for them to anchor their ropes. "HERE!" He calls out, drawing his two fellow squad members to his side. "Hurry!" He instructs as he fastens his harness and then hurries back to the ledge. "Casey! We're coming down. I am going to try to get a rope into you and you know the drill."

"Over my head and under my armpits."

"Yeah. Can you do that?"

"It'll hurt but yeah…just…hurry."

"Okay which way are you facing?"

"Uh…" Casey pauses as he looks around. "I'm on top of…I think he's dead."

"Great. Okay, Capp and Newhouse and I are on our way down right now. Be there soon."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Cheeky bastard," Severide mutters under his breath as he looks up at his fellow squad members. "Capp I need you and Newhouse to hold the leg of this thing steady while I try to secure Casey. Let's move! We're on our way now."

Casey hears the voices getting closer and can only pray that the cables and ropes holding the chopper body flush with the building will hold long enough for him to get free and all of them clear of the busted deathtrap.

"I ever tell anyone…I hate to fly?" Casey quips as Severide just grits his teeth.

"How about you find some duct tape and zip it!" Severide retorts with a small snap as Casey's lips offer an unseen grin in reply.

"Come and…do it for me."

"Gladly."

"They sound related," Newhouse notes in mild sarcasm as the three of them finally reach the body of the chopper.

"They are," Capp tosses back as they stop at Severide's instruction.

"Okay guys, let's be very careful. One wrong move…Matt can you hear me?"

"Yeah your voice sounds just above my head," Casey replies in truth. "I'll just…ahhh!" his voice calls out as Severide looks up at his team members in haste. "I'm okay…just a cut…okay…arms are up…"

"Okay. Capp! Newhouse! Secure that leg with those other ropes. Casey, hold on a sec."

Severide watches his two team members secure the leg, and just in time as the body shifts down about half a foot and all four of them hold their breaths. "Casey!"

"Still…here…just hurry will ya."

"Okay…here comes the rope," Severide states as he slowly starts to thread the large already looped end through the busted up pilot's window. "Coming through the top window. I see your left hand. Can you feel the ropes?"

"I uh…yeah! I got it!"

"Okay…just be careful now…as soon as we start to shift your weight this damn thing is gonna move on us, so get ready."

"Okay," Casey lightly wheezes as he fondles the rope in both hands and then slowly starts to pull it down over his arms, toward his head. His arms slightly shift and the twisted metal starts to whisper its displeasure by offering a tormented groan.

"You better hold together you piece of crap!" Severide hisses as it groans once more. "Casey?"

"Just trying…to…" he groans as he manages to get the large loop over his head and shoulders.

"Buddy…you gotta move…faster."

"Tryi…ing…" Casey grunts as he tries to shuffle forward.

The mangled machine once again voices its displeasure by moving. However, this time it works in Casey's favor as it slides downward, which actually pushes Casey upward and gets the rope lasso under his armpits, securing him for the daring rescue.

"It's on!"

"Okay so…damn man you gotta slowly and I mean slowly move upward toward me. Just…"

"Yeah…hurry," Casey grunts as he tries to push himself upward. "Kelly…pull a little…"

"Okay…hold on."

Severide literally holds his breath as he starts to gently tug on the rope harness that was trying to pull Casey free, Casey at the same time trying to slowly wiggle upward to help with his extraction. At the same time Capp and Newhouse were trying their best to hold onto the helicopter's body without endangering themselves; Boden already having cleared the area beneath the chopper in case the worst should happen – it would break loose and fall to the ground.

"That's it just…"

"This thing's…Kelly…"

"I know…just keep coming," Severide instructs; hearing the fright in Casey's voice and trying to shield the terror in his own. They were so close…to lose him now would be unthinkable. But the chopper doesn't want to cooperate and continues to slightly shift and groan as the living person inside continues to work his way toward his exit point.

"I see your head…did you…"

"Yes I cut it…I think…just keep pulling," Casey's lips offer a painful wheeze.

Severide continues to slowly pull the rope, drawing Casey ever closer to him and continuing to pray their mission would be a success. "Okay you're near the door…it's gonna be a bit…"

"Painful?" Casey interjects in sarcasm as Severide growls in an undertone. "Better…than…the alternative."

"Okay…can you lift your arms up?"

Casey does as instructed and feels the glassy panes; the one object standing between him and freedom.

"Okay I'm going to come there and open the door. But in order to do that I gotta put my weight on this. Now…damn just be ready to be jerked out hard because when your weight shifts that much it could take us both down."

"Ready," Casey tells them as he tries to bite back the pain in his head, chest and arms.

He feels his body jerk roughly but bites back another painful gasp as he realizes this is leading to his escape not further demise. The chopper creaks. Severide pauses.

The rope lasso jerks once more. The door opens and the chopper reacts by shifting downward a few inches. Everyone holds their breath.

"Just pull!" Casey shouts as he looks up and sees the bulkhead threatening to give way. "Kelly…"

"Okay on three!"

Both of them count at the same time and then Severide jumps off the part of the door he had been precariously perched on, at the same time jerking Casey free through the door opening. His arms wrap around Casey's frame, Casey's back to his chest; and the two of them fly back toward the wall, Severide's frame slamming into it and shielding Casey's from further harm.

A few seconds later he shouts to his men to get free, Hermann calling down to Boden that the chopper wasn't cooperating and very soon it could be coming down to them.

"Pull us up!" Severide shouts. He knows it'll be easier for Capp and Newhouse to both rappel down quickly and get free, but if Casey's injured he can't take the chance of them putting themselves and medics in further harm if that thing decided to not play fair and break away and fall down on top of them. The rescue then would be moot. They'd all be going up.

"Kelly…"

"Hold on buddy…just hold on," Severide states as he looks at the blood stain on top of Casey's head. "Your hard head is bleeding."

Silence.

"Matt? Matt!" Severide shouts as their bodies jerk upward; the chopper finally remaining stationary.

"Wha…" Casey's lips mumble as his eyes snap open. "Still…here…" he manages weakly as his eyes flutter and then threaten to close. "Chest…hurts…"

"Yeah you took quite a wallop in there," Severide states as he holds onto Casey's slightly trembling frame. Shock. He looks down to Casey's bloody arm and feels his stomach tighten. "Legs okay? anything…feel broken?"

Silence.

"Matt!"

"I'm…here…no…legs are…fine. Yours?"

"Still attached," Severide whispers as they near the top of the building. "You owe me."

"For…what?"

"Putting me through this," Severide tosses back with a slightly teasing tone.

"Figured…you needed…the practice," Casey tries to smirk but coughs as Severide shakes his head. "Next time…your turn."

"Nope, can't…I'm rescue squad."

"Ah…ahhhhh," Casey's lips add an extra grunt as they reach the top of the building and a few extra hands join in in pulling them both up to safety. Casey is pulled up first; finally plucked from the air and carried to a waiting stretcher to be checked over by the medics.

"I'm fine!" Severide huffs as he tosses the harness away and then hurries to the stretcher with Casey's frame atop it. "Hey…how is he?" He looks down at Casey's placid expression.

"Super…terrific," Casey mumbles softly as he looks up at Severide with a soft smile. "Thank you."

"Thank me later when you pick up the beer tab," he lightly jokes as he follows alongside the stretcher as it hurries toward the rooftop elevator entrance. He looks down the gash on Casey's arm and then the patch of bloody matted hair on his head and frowns. While he does worry about the head injury he's also worried about Casey's strained breathing.

"How is he?" Boden asks as he rushes up to them; Severide hanging back a bit while they prepare Casey to be transported to Lakeshore.

"Coulda been worse Chief," Severide answers in truth. "I'll see you back at the House."

"Go. We'll clean up here."

Severide gives his Chief a nod before he hurries toward the waiting ambulance and then hops inside; the doors close and their on their way. Inside the back of the bus, Severide watches the medic as he tends to Casey's arm, cleaning it as best he can and preparing it for the receiving ER physician to bandage it up.

"Did you tend to the wound on his head?" Severide dares to inquire.

"Looks like just a surface cut but the doctor will need to check to make sure there isn't anything more serious. Has he suffered a head injury before?" The medic asks; Severide nodding in agreement a few seconds later. "It doesn't look that bad to me but I can't make the official call, sorry."

"Okay."

Casey's eyes flutter open as his lips tighten under the oxygen mask, prompting him to look up at Severide with a labored glance.

"Hey buddy…just rest now, you're safe."

Casey's eyes gratefully close in response. A heavy wince however, forces them to snap back open when the medic starts to clean his wound and the cool disinfectant mixes roughly with the chewed up skin. Once they reach the ER, Severide has to hang back to wait, texting Boden an update and telling him he's going to stay with Casey for as long as he was in the hospital.

_'Get yourself checked over also.'_

Severide can only smile at Boden's reply but instead of complying he shoves his phone into his pocket and then heads for the opening ER doors. "Well?"

"Lieutenant Casey was given some x-rays and is pretty fortunate that he only suffered a minor concussion considering what he said he survived. The doctor is aware of his past medical history and we assured Mr. Casey that there won't be any further aftereffects from this. Maybe a headache for the next day or two but that is normal. We stitched up his arm and tended to a few broken ribs. There was concern about the labored breathing that a rib had punctured the lung and he'd need surgery but it was mostly due in part to having something fall on his chest and the organs sustaining some internal bruising. That will clear up without complication."

"So…he can go home then?"

"He really shouldn't be alone. Even with a minor concussion."

"We're roommates," Severide interjects in haste. "I'll make sure everything's okay."

"Okay."

Severide helps a somewhat groggy Casey stand up and then helps guide him toward the exit doors and into a waiting cab. On the ride home they talk about the crash and a bit more about Casey's harrowing ordeal; Severide holding his scolding until they get home but wanting to remind him that risking himself for a dead body isn't a wise career move.

"He sounded alive."

"The damn helicopter was alive," Severide retorts in sarcasm as they reach their shared apartment.

"Thanks…I didn't want to stay in there tonight. Hate hospitals," Casey whispers under his breath as he pulls away and heads for his room to change.

"Hungry?"

"Not really!" Casey calls back with a tired yawn as he opens his pajama drawer. "Ah damn!"

"What's wrong?" Severide heads into Casey's room to see him looking up with a frown. "You okay?" He asks as he eyes Casey's bandaged ribs.

"Yeah I just…I'll…yeah never mind."

"What?"

"I don't have any clean pajamas," he groans as Severide smirks and turns to leave. "See? No big deal…" he calls out as he starts to hunt for a pair of sweats. However, a few minutes later he looks up to see Severide return with something in his hands.

"Here!" Severide tosses the fabric bundle to him.

"What's…this? Pajamas?...wait…with feet? Kelly…" Casey starts with another groan as Severide shrugs. "You bought these?"

"Otis got them for me as a gag gift."

"Little fire trucks?"

"You wanted choppers?" Severide tosses back with a grin. "Besides…those are little squad trucks," Severide retorts proudly as Casey rolls his eyes. "Tonight you can pretend you're on squad. You know…where everyone wants to be," he wags his brows and grins widely.

"I'll sleep in…jeans."

"Whatever. Do you want them or not?"

"No poop chute?" Casey chuckles as Severide laughs and shrugs. "These…will do."

"So…it's not much but I can make a fried egg sandwich."

"Kelly…it's okay. I'm just going to…"

"You know you can't go to sleep for a few hours as per the concussion instructions."

"Damn," Casey curses under his breath as he holds up the pajamas and shakes his head. "Sounds fine. But I get to pick the movie."

"What? I wanted to watch Alive," Severide's voice dies out as he disappears around the corner.

"No plane crash movies! That's cruel…torture," Casey sighs as he pulls on the warm fleecy pajamas and looks in the mirror and laughs at his reflection. "Wow…that's lame."

He slowly heads back outside, Severide already looking up and chuckling as Casey warns him to not tell anyone or else! Severide however, would later pull out his camera and snap a picture for Otis without Casey's knowing. As Casey settles on the couch to just rest his aching frame, Severide looks back down at the instructions on when to bandage Casey's ribs and how to check the dressing and stitching on his arm; more importantly how to keep them dry when Casey takes a shower the next day.

The two of them settle in with their simple fair of sandwiches and coffee, more interested in talking about their event-filled day and bonding as friends, than watching whatever comedy Casey had picked out.

**THE END!**

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><p><strong>AN:** I know it's been a few weeks but hope we're not too rusty at these and you liked this little angsty OS. Please do review before you go and thanks so much!

**PS:** Bonded by Fire will be back next weekend so you'll all know just what trouble is building when Casey and Severide join forces at 51 and it finally becomes a complete House. Hope you're all caught up!


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